First Seeker Sarmak’s archaeological survey of the ancient city of Eternity continues, as the Starfinders explore a server archive created by the First Ones of Aballon, uncovering tantalizing information and long-buried secrets. When a mysterious and violent group known as Those Who Call makes an unexpected appearance, it’s up to the Starfinders to save the day!
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Kadef is tall for a Kasatha with a leaner than average build. His demeanor is tranquil. When not in action his four hands are usually clasped together in front of his torso. His hairless grey skin can be off-putting to those more accustomed to human tones. He is most often dressed in business or formal robes over blue skin tight light armor.
The one thing that Starfinders immediately note about Aballon is how hot is it. Being close to the sun does that, but the environment doesn't help either: deep craters, vast desert and sprawling megaplexes. The short days are hot, the short night cause the planet to cool down quickly.
Out here, on the edge of Eternity, first seeker Sarmak has set up his base camp, and it is time to greet some new arrivals.
Soaring spires emerging from the rocky ground break the monotony of Aballon’s dusty plains with their silvery gleam. The straight roads crisscrossing the vast city of Eternity resemble a meticulously planned circuit board whose purpose has been lost to the ages, with the occasional fallen roof and buried sections disturbing the ancient city’s architectural precision.
Just inside Eternity, the Starfinder base camp is a hub of activity. Scientists, scholars, engineers, research assistants, cartographers, and a variety of support personnel bustle about while performing their duties. Sturdy temporary structures are slowly replacing tents.
Less experienced new arrivals are easily spotted accidentally bounding past as they adjust to the low gravity of Aballon. The oxygen generators hum alongside the temperature regulators, allowing those within the confines of camp to deactivate their environmental protections. Entry points visible at regular intervals along the boundaries facilitate the transitions to and from the harsher conditions of thin atmosphere and extreme temperatures outside camp.
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Ratrace has been at the camp for a while, everyone needs someone to take care of minor engineering and power supply maintenance, but he's keen to get out wandering and see the sights.
He flips through his Lonely Universe Travel Guide to Aballon (tm) on his datapad as he waits and looks for key information and tourist attractions.
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Fresh off the latest shuttle, a tall Kasatha with a leaner than average build wanders the camp. For the dozenth time he wonders whether Guidance was loaded with his actual profile because this does not look like a diplomatic post. Nevertheless his demeanor is tranquil. While he walks, his four hairless grey hands are clasped together in front of his business suit. Similar grey skin rises from above the mask over his mouth to the top of his elongated head.
He contemplates the camp, and drifts from person to person, engaging those who seem to have a bit of time on their hands.
Noticing a ysoki whiling away time on a datapad and a nearby android apparently engaged in chronicling, he approaches them. He bows with all four hands lowered, palm outward.
"Pardon me. I am new here and am trying to learn the functions within the camp. May I ask your assignments and their goals?"
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Another Starfinder who has been in the camp for a long time now joins the conversation.
This is a representative of the kish race - tall three-eyed humanoids. If you've come across other kishes before, then this one is somewhat unique. He does not have the wildness and ignorance of technology that are so characteristic of his people, who lead a tribal lifestyle on the ruins of their sunken into oblivion technological empire. Instead, there is something ancient and wise about this kish, as if he has seen with his own eyes miracles that significantly exceed the technological capabilities of modern races. His black light armor-suit is reinforced with embedded bones, but even this does not give the impression of savagery, but rather some kind of technological approach towards necromancy. As a final touch, there is a bone cannon on his shoulder
Greetings to you. I'm Loxx. A xenoarchaeologist and a specialist in pre-Gap technologies.
Lexicor is o
Lexicot doesn't know who the First Ones were, but also knows that's nothing to be ashamed off: nobody knows who they were, what they looked like, where they came from, or where they went. They left behind visible traces of their presence on Aballon, from the artificial laborers that evolved into anacites to the many ancient cities built on the planet’s surface.
Anacites consider the cities of the First Ones sacred sites and are forbidden from entering them. Occasionally, the governing Insight Array allows outsiders to explore and document these ancient cities in their stead. Thanks to First Seeker Sarmak’s efforts, the Starfinder Society was given permission to perform an archaeological survey of the city of Eternity. The Starfinders set up a base camp just inside Eternity, from which they launch their explorations and conduct research. Recently, the Starfinders explored a distribution node, a technocréche, and an underground city block they only gained access to using an ancient relic called the Eternity Drive. They also had a run-in with a violent and fanatical anacite who claimed to belong to a group called Those Who Call. Further investigation into Those Who Call yielded only a name: Supreme-Proclaimant.
Ratrace's guide has an interesting article about the First Ones: In the ancient past, the First Ones harvested resources from Aballon, then left of their own accord. In the process they created self-improving robots for use as laborers. Long after the First Ones left, these robots became intelligent anacites. Recently, the Starfinder Society discovered evidence of massive robots created within Eternity that were designed not for labor, but for war and widespread destruction.
Kadef knows the First Ones created different machines for different purposes. It was recently discovered that they created protocites, another species of artificial lifeform who dwell within the sun. While the protocites share some similarities with the anacites, they’re a completely different branch of artificial life, whose purpose is to conduct radical research. Perhaps the strangest creatures to claim the First Ones as their creators are the planashars: aggressive two-dimensional constructs from a hidden dimension known as the Infinite Loop, who aim to assimilate the entire three-dimensional galaxy by any means necessary.
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It's time to meet Sarmak.
A harried but happy looking izalguun—First Seeker Sarmak— looks up from a pile of data pads and grins. “Ah, there you are, right on time. Thank you for joining us here in Eternity!”
“It’s long been my hope that the Starfinders would investigate this, and other cities of the First Ones. After we discovered a relic known as the Eternity Drive at another Aballonian site, the Insight Array approved this large scale survey—the first of its size and scope in Eternity! The Eternity Drive is a complex hybrid device designed by the First Ones which serves as both an encrypted data drive and a physical key. We’ve already used it to unlock a few hidden areas in the city. It’s currently with one of our talented engineers who is attempting to make a duplicate. It won’t be ready before you leave on your mission, but if you want a peek, stop by Hope-01’s workstation before you go. We’ve also been working on developing translation tools for the First Ones’ language. Check in with Kinpopo near the camp’s north exit and see if they have anything for you to use.
“Now, onto your mission!” Sarmak shifts his bulky body toward a holographic panel in the middle of the room, pulling up a map of the city. “Our scouts have identified what they suspect is a data archive to the north. As combat trained field agents, your mission is to perform an initial exploration of the site and ensure its safe for your more scholarly colleagues to enter. In the coming weeks, we’ll send in teams of archaeologists, engineers, xenolinguists, and other researchers to perform a more thorough excavation. Treat the site with respect and above all: be careful. We’ve already discovered several traps, plenty of malfunctioning equipment, and some dangerous robots during our time here. Some of our agents were even attacked by a violent anacite that claimed to belong to a group called Those Who Call. We haven’t been able to corroborate their story, of course, but it doesn’t hurt to remain alert! Any questions?”
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Kadef listens carefully to each of you, then replies, "I am Kadef Hins Socriat of Clan Parsem, House Zebulan. I trained at my House Academy for Accord aboard Idari and joined the Starfinders as a diplomatic attache. However it seems that my talents have been severely misjudged by the Society; I am often assigned to exploration and combat missions. Even when on a nominally diplomatic function, violence inevitably erupts. I mention this only so that if we are assigned together, you may take proper precautionary measures."
Loxx is the first kish that Kadef has met. The kasatha has many questions, always politely phrased, delivered at a slow pace, and most intently digested.
Kadef listens carefully. He marks down Hope-01 and Kinpopo for later intelligence gathering. He sighs audibly at the mention of combat-trained field agents. At least I know to leave my robes behind.
"Sir, is there any indication of the physical extent of the archive? Should we provision for hours or weeks on site? How far is the archive from our camp and are we on our own, or will support be available from here?"
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Lexicor's response is monotone.
"Acknowledged. We will proceed with caution and prioritize the safety of the team. We will be vigilant for traps, malfunctioning equipment, and potential threats. We will also be mindful of the reported presence of anacites and exercise caution per standard protocols in our interactions with any unknown entities. We will record our progress and any significant findings. Any additional information on 'Those Who Call' would be helpful."
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A new arrival to the camp is present at Sarmak's briefing.
A rather scholarly looking halfling dressed in safari gear with a wet towel wrapped around his neck and a wide brimmed bush hat on his head stands uncomfortably in the heat.
"Bloody hot this damned planet. Who in their right minds would want to live here," he says to no one in paticular.
The physical extent? It's a single building, so I don't expect your mission to take more than a day.
You'll be able to get support form Hope-01. He's a recent Starfinder graduate and a talented engineer. This is his first field assignment. He joined the expedition as an analyst.
And as said, you'd want to talk to Kinpopo, our experienced Starfinder whose specialty is technolinguistics, mathematics, and codebreaking. They’ve joined the expedition as a programmer and translator.
I'm afraid we don't know too much about Those who call. A team of Starfinders met an anacite within Eternity—a strange encounter in and of itself, as anacites are forbidden from entering cities of the First Ones. This anacite held great anger at the ruling Insight Array and other Aballonian governmental institutions and deeply revered the First Ones, claiming their ‘return was imminent’ and that they would ‘call them here, rather than wait for their return.’ The anacite attacked our agents suddenly and claimed to belong to a wider group called Those Who Call. It sounds like they might be a militant faction of anacites who strive to usher in the return of the First Ones and draw them back to Aballon. But we’ve found no further evidence of them in the city, nor has the Insight Array found traces of them beyond Eternity’s borders. One of our agents discovered a possible reference to Those Who Call on the local infosphere, which gave us a name: Supreme-Proclaimant, but they don’t seem to exist and the reference was scrubbed shortly after. If Those Who Call exist beyond this anacite’s imagination, they’re well hidden.
“Much that has corroborated our theories about the First Ones and their aims: plenty of factories, power plants, processing facilities, and other sites they used to build their robotic laborers and extract and process resources. We’ve also discovered something… unexpected. Weapons facilities and factories, and schematics for a series of massive robots clearly designed for war and capable of causing widespread destruction. Using the Eternity Drive, we also gained access to a city block hidden beneath the city that is clearly not of First Ones’ construction. While it’s possible it was a testing site for these war machines that was purposefully modeled off foreign architecture, some of our archaeologists believe the site predates the arrival of the First Ones, and that it was part of a settlement or civilization destroyed by them—a very troubling thought that challenges the accepted history of Aballon. For these reasons, this information should not leave the camp until it can be further investigated. I trust I have your discretion.”
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"Very good, sir. You may be assured we will be discrete. Thank you."
Assuming that's all they're going to get out of the briefing, Kadef bows slightly with all four hands clasped, then straightens, wheels on a heel and marches out.
Outside the kasatha turns to his new team. "We should be prepared for various physical challenges. Does anyone have climbing gear, cable, or environmental suits?
After we've equipped ourselves, I suggest visiting Kinpopo next."
Kinpopo? You'll probably find them over there a helpful starfinder says, pointing toward the edge of the camp.
A pair of security guards monitor a break in the camp’s perimeter fence, where Starfinders enter and exit. All comings and goings are documented, and identity checks completed. Nearby, a squox-like individual is working on some large mechanical equipment, tail clinging to a pole and body deep in the machine. After a moment, they emerge with a wide grin and wipe their paws on their purple scarf. “Another triumph! Ha! Do you feel better adjusted now?” they ask, apparently addressing the device directly. “Lucky I was here, I say!” they exclaim as they descend from the large machine. It’s only once their paws are back on the ground that they notice their audience.
“Oh, hello! Don’t worry, you can rest easy knowing the new alarm system is up and running! I’ve integrated a sonic defense component—just in case! I’ve learned that when the pressure’s on, everything that can go bad, does go bad! Best to be prepared, I say!” They scratch behind their ear, thinking for a moment. “Say, are you headed out into Eternity? I’ve got a lexicon analysis program that could use another test run. Want to give it a try?
Great! Kinpopo responds, and holds out a small, hand-held hybrid device that looks cobbled together from scrap and glowing wires.
“This masterpiece is the Lexi-Kin! A portable lexicon analyzer designed by me, Kinpopo, special for the expedition in Eternity! It’s designed to capture and analyze any linguistic artifact you encounter in the field. I update it constantly with data gathered by our field teams. It can event attempt to reconstruct meaning from context! Although, with such little data, it’s not very accurate. That’s where you come in! Take the Lexi-Kin into the field and scan any text you encounter! It may prove helpful, and even if it doesn’t, everything you scan is helpful to me! Pretty clever, I say!”
A bit further in the distance, Hope-01 stands at a workstation, intermittently fixated with his computer or the glowing flower-shaped device it’s attached to.
Hello Ratrace Hope-01 says, still engrossed with his device. After a moment he looks up and smiles. “Come to sneak a peek at the Eternity Drive, have you? You may look, but please keep your distance and don’t touch.”
These are you new teammates? I'm Hope-01, and I'm a recent graduate. I've joined this mission as an analyst. Field work isn't for me, way too dangerous, but I enjoy working on ancient technology. It's going to be quite a challenge to replicate the Eternity Drive! What are you working on?
Ah, yes equipment. Did you all fill our your registration forms? I need them to be able to justify the equipment that is right for you.
Here some field equipment. These two items here he says, as he holds up two epi-pen shaped devices They're special field-commisioned Mk 1 Serums of Healing.
And try these Hope-01 says as he holds up a pair of goggles. You can fit them under your helmet, and they allow you to see straight through smoke, fog, even vegetation. I call them clearsight goggles.
Finally this... Hope-01 says as he hold up a gun ...is a gun. A fighter coilgun, to be precise.
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"I respectfully suggest splitting up the serums to distribute healing resources."
SFS Legal Handcoil, Fighter
Source Starfinder Armory pg. 45
Level 7; Price 5,600
Hands 1; Proficiency Small Arms
Damage 1d10 E; Range 40 ft.; Critical arc 1d10
Capacity 20 charges; Usage 2
Bulk L; Special —
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The camp exit is on the north end. The security guards check identification and log all departure times. The outside of the camp is swift to remind the group of the intense heat on the planet. It's a one-hour hike to eternity, and the metal gleaming structures make the heat even more intense.
The data archive is unremarkable from the outside—a squat building of rusting metal amid gleaming spires and time broken roadways. Much of the building is damaged or collapsed, but after a roughly ten minutes search, the group spot a suitable entrance half-buried in the rubble.
This entrance was covered by rubble until approximately a few months ago, when something purposefully excavated it.
The cold light of a console illuminates a metal elevator sitting comfortably in a wide shaft descending deep into the darkness beneath the rusted building. The elevator hovers silently, held up by magnetic rails. Strange text glows on the console.
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During the march to the archive, Kadef is glad his armor has environmental controls systems, but wishes he purchased additional heat resistant clothing also. He looks forward to getting inside at the archive.
Inside the Archive, looking at the elevator, the kasatha can't help but express mild admiration or wonder. "It looks like it still functions. Amazing really, because it doesn't seem to have been serviced for a very long time."
The lexi-kin sputters a bit, initially putting out “forever information partitioned-into-segments [unknown-numeral]
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The lift is easily activated with a touch of the console, and descends calmly. The lift opens into a spartan entry room whose ceiling is riddled with cracks that rain dust and dirt down into the room every few minutes.
The room is hazy from the dust in the air, and the ground is coated in a thick layer of dirt. The doors in the north wall are ajar.
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Observing the lexi-kin his understanding of culture is more aligned with ship models and pilots (DC reduced by 5).
After fidgetting with the device he exclaims.
Had to re-parse the output and filter...the lexi-kin reads “Eternity Cortex, Data Pod 3"
Lexicor follows into the lift and out into the dusty room.
The maintenance routines are negligent and in violation of multiple health and safety codes. I will recommend filing formal complaint in my report. he observes to no one in particular.
nope
dang
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"The entrance was covered by rubble until approximately a few months ago, when something purposefully excavated it."
"That's good information, hopefully, they were professionals and haven't disturbed anything critical"
"Hopefully they weren't professionals who intentionally disturbed something critical.
But it seems possible someone has a competing interest in this archive. Could it be Those Who Call?"...
Had to re-parse the output and filter...the lexi-kin reads “Eternity Cortex, Data Pod 3"Lexicor follows into the lift and out into the dusty room.
The maintenance routines are negligent and in violation of multiple health and safety codes. I will recommend filing formal complaint in my report. he observes to no one in particular.
"Is it part of Eternity city's brain? How interesting."
"There are tracks here." Kadef steps forward on his toes and indicates scuffs and bare spots on the floor, covered with a faint layer of dust.